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[dezdimona]

Astrianna’s eyes opened, she shook her head and tried to sit up. A hand gently pushed her back down.

“Good, you’ve returned to us, quite the scare you gave us child.” Astrianna looked at the old woman sitting on the small stool. Pleasant smelling wisps of smoke from some herb wafted from her pipe and floated away through a small hole in the roof of a wagon.

 

The gentle rocking of the wagon from side to side made her feel very tired.

“Where am I?” Astrianna asked. “You’re in my wagon child. I’m the healer for this bunch, and close you were to death. The big wyrms claws are sometimes as nasty as their bites.”

 

“The rider, he lives?” “Aye child, Faelan son of Nieham of the nine hostages fairs well, thanks to you. Sometimes I swear that man will be the death of me, what with the chances he takes.”

Astrianna’s skin felt smooth and silky. She lifted the cover and looked down. The wound in her leg had been sewn closed and strange and fragrant oil had been applied to her entire body. The old woman smiled. “Another day or so and my needle work can be removed. “Deep the wound was and the poison spread rapidly through your body. You vexed even my skills child, you are indeed lucky to be alive.” mumbled Doris.

 

“Drink this, it will ease the pain and also give you strength.” “What is it? Astrianna asked. “Its broth made from the dead wyrm. Though their bite be deadly, their meat is tasty and brings much strength.

Astrianna drank the liquid and instantly felt strength returning to her bruised and battered body. “ Ye can get up and move around some, but take it easy for a few more days, you were at deaths door child for sure.”

 

“Here put these on, Nigel our armourer and his wife made them from the wyrm skin, and a right fine job they did too!”

 

Astrianna sat up, took the garments from the old woman, and gazed at them in amazement. Like the finest boiled armour were they, hard yet soft and supple, with iridescent scales sew across the shoulders and down the sides.

The cuirass was lined with kid skin and felt luxurious against her bare skin. The Girdle, boots and gloves completed the armour and left her looking and feeling wonderful. She gazed down and the wyrm scales seemed to glow and yet absorb light and they were hard as rock, but yet flexed with her movements.

 

“Aye lass, ye look good and Nigel and his wife are the best I’ve found for making comfortable armor, ye be lucky they had enough undamaged skin to make those.”

Astrianna made her way to the door ,looked over her shoulder at the old woman, “Bah child, you’ve no need of thanking me, just mind that leg a bit, no horse play or rough stuff you here!” Astrianna smiled, and stepped forth into the sun light.

 

She shaded her eyes and looked about. She spied Faelan talking to a small group of his soldiers. It felt good to stand in the sun light.

She stretched like a huge cat and felt her muscles and tendons complain from the lack of use. She would need to begin her sojo’s, her lack of activity had left her stiff and lazy.

 

She approached Faelan , and stopped close to him. He turned towards her, her sword in his hand, smiled and handed the weapon to her.”Tis good to see you up and about lassie”, he said. Astrianna took the sword, stepped back and immediately began swinging, twirling, spinning and yelling as she performed some intricate fighting movements.

Faelan watched her in amazement, he knew she had to be in pain, sore and stiff, but her face showed nothing, only idioms of her fighting style. No wonder her people were revered as great fighters. Her practice lasted a good while, and when she was done her breath was hard and fast, and a sheen covered her body. A slight oozing of blood wept from the wound on her leg.

 

“Lass, old Doris will have my hide if your break her stitching” chuckled Faelan.

 

Astrianna glanced down and wiped away the trace of blood. She looked at Faelan, he seemed none the worse for wear and tear, but weeks had followed the fight with the wyrm

 

“ The weapon, can I ask where you got it?” Faelan asked of her. Astrianna related the story to him and at its end Faelan spat and cursed the dogs that had bred to make those three. “Tis a fine weapon and is strange to my eyes as well, how a cur obtained it is something we’ll never know, but it suits you well.”

 

The encampment was busy going about its daily routine and in the hazy distance Astrianna could make out a small town.

“Nigel and his wife did a fine job on the armor I see”, said Faelan.

 

“It’s very nice, but was unnecessary” chimed Astrianna. “Nonsense Lass, if you hadn’t charged and attacked that monster when you did, I’d be dead. And for that not only myself, but the rest of my troop are grateful.”

 

Astrianna stared at him, and began to feel her stomach tighten slightly. She looked away, and knew she should walk away, but somehow she was rooted to the spot.

She could feel his eyes on her and she was suddenly uncomfortable. She started to turn when a rider came in fast, stopped before Faelan and told him a good dozen light Calvary were approaching.

 

“ Come lass, this may be interesting”, said Faelin. The tone of his voice said more than all his words!

 

They approached the stopped riders, and stopped a few feet short of them.

Astrianna had noted that Faelans men had spread out ever so slightly. That he had expected trouble was now confirmed by the way he stood. She noted he stood poised on the balls of his feet, rather than flat footed, and his gaze wandered not one second from that of the light horse’s leader.

 

“What seek you here?” asked the Captain of the Calvary patrol. “We are merchants, seeking to ply our wares” answered Faelan.

“You seemed well armed and trained for a merchant caravan” muttered the captain, as his eyes scanned Faelan and his men. “The road is not without its dangers” answered Faelin. His gaze stopped at Astrianna. He took in her posture, weapons and looks, all while staring at her.

 

Astrianna gave back as she was given. “ Fine looking armor” said the Captain, “Made from a wyrn is it not?” His look and tone was more a statement of fact, rather than a question. “It is indeed” answered Astrianna. “We ran afoul of one a few weeks back.” The Captain eyed the wound on her thigh and looked toward Faelan. The woman, she fought as well?”, he asked of Faelan. Faelan smiled and Astrianna caught the slightest of movement from his left hand. A signal to his men she thought. Well trained indeed she thought to herself , far more than a normal band of guards, these men were a well trained fighting unit.

 

“ I fought yes, Captain” said Astrianna.” Where I hail from all women are fighters.”

 

The Captains eyebrows rose ever so slightly. He began to laugh and his men laughed with him. “You fought, and I suppose you killed the wyrm too?” he chuckled.” Aye, that she did, and one of the finest fighters I’ve laid eyes on in many a moon” spoke Faelan

 

“You take me for a fool” The Captains voice was now keen as a sharp blade” I take you for that and more!” snarled Astrianna, and then she spit!

“ female dog”, yelled the Captain and reached for his sword. Astrianna sprang like a great cat grabbing his stirrup leg and lifting and twisting together. Thrown off balance the rider fell from the saddle, a quick roll under the horse and Astrianna was on the downed rider in a heartbeat, pummeling his face with both fists.

 

Weapons were drawn on both sides, and a skirmish seemed eminent.“Hold” yelled Faelan, This be a matter of honor, stay your weapons!”Both sides relaxed, but eyes watched from both sides for the slightest of movements.

 

Astrianna continued her assault on the Captain, a wild display of pure fury and hate. As hard as he tried the man was unable to deflect all her blows, and blood poured from a broken nose and from one ear.

It was then that he grabbed the wound on her thigh and squeezed hard. Astrianna screamed and for the briefest of seconds her attack faltered. Her opponent grabbed her by the throat and rolled. The pain in leg and her weakened condition made her easy to flip over. Now the infuriated man started beating at her face, raining down blow after blow.

 

“Stay your arms” bellowed Faelan, but the look on his face showed deep concern. Astriannas breathing was cut off and her vision began to swim. Reaching up along her opponent’s side her hand wrapped around the hilt of his dagger. Desperately and with her vision going black, she pulled the dagger and back handed the skull crusher pommel against the side of the Captains head.

A grunt sounded and again she struck, this time the blow connecting with his temple and the unconscious man fell over. Drawing a deep breath and shaking her head to clear the cobwebs Astrianna, rolled on top of him, reversed the dagger and raised her hand to plunge it into his chest.

 

Faelan leapt and hit Astrianna on the fly, knocking her off the unconscious form, pinned her arms to the ground and looked her in the eye. “No lass, now is not the time for killing, you made your point well enough!” Faelan stood and looked at her beaten face, one eye was swollen shut and blood flowed from her nose and mouth. He extended a hand to her. She gazed up and him for a second and then took his hand. Never had she thought of a man as a friend or a companion, but this man…this man was different.

 

“Best you go off and see old Doris, I can hear her now as soon as she takes one look at you” Astrianna limped off in the direction of the old woman’s wagon. “Astrianna” called Faelan. Astrianna turned and looked at him questionably.

“Well done lass, well done.” Astrianna smiled, and hobbled off to catch what she knew would be an earful from the old woman, but it was worth it she thought to herself.

 

Faelan turned towards the light horse. “Take your Captain and leave. As far as I’m concerned this affair was settled. Two riders dismounted and lifted the unconscious form and threw him over his saddle. They remounted and rode off into the distance.

 

“ Tristan” said Faelan, “ Put riders out and tonight double the guard”

“ Aye my Lord, as you wish” spoke Tristan “And I’ll see that all the men sharpen their weapons as well”.

 

“ Good, I’ve a feeling we’ll need them sharp. Carry on” And he walked off towards the wagons.

The ruckus had caused the camp routine to stop, and now the traders and their families watched Astrianna limp by them and head towards old Doris’s wagon. Faelan came up quickly and with a few quick words to the men and their wives, was off after Astrianna, the bustle around the camp soon picked up pace and weapons were removed from hidden places on every wagon.

 

“Gods above child! by Juna’s teats, ye look like a butchered sow, Didn’t I tell you to take it easy, and the leg is bleeding too!”Doris wailed! “Child you’re a handful you are, that’s for sure, get your backside up in me wagon!”

 

Head down Astrianna climbed the short stairs a hidden smile on her face.

 

“And you! Lord all high and mighty. Are you daft letting her tussle after all she’s been thru?” snapped the old woman. “Well I” was all Faelan got out, before Doris commenced with a spouting of language that made Faelan’s ears burn.

 

“Damn it man, the girls weak and was almost dead, and you stand and watch it all happen. Have you taken one too many blows to your head?” prattled Doris.

“It was a fight of honor, and she’s of her own mind”. Faelan replied. “Had we interfered all hell would have broken loose”, he snapped back.

 

“Bah, honor my butt, if that lass is busted up inside, I’ll tan your backside like I did when you were little. Now get about your business whilst I tend to the girl. Bunch of fool hardly young uns, fightin and carryin on”. Old Doris spit, “off with ye I said…scat! She turned and climbed the stairs and entered the wagon.

 

“And you young miss hot head, didn’t I tell you no horseplay” echoed from inside the wagon.

Faelan shook his head and beat a hasty retreat!

[sabya123]

cool. :thumbsup: am loving it.you really got nice imagination and also good in creating situations.just love it. i wonder , wat'll happen next ? aye young hot head lass astrianna :P

now tht's really a new version , with blood dripping blade . awesome :D

[dezdimona]

thankyou,glad you enjoyed it!

[reaper13]

pardon how i say it but....HOW THE **** CAN YOU WRITE THIS GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i might need to rethink the new story i'm working on right now. and before i forget nice job yet again

[dezdimona]

thanks reaper!!!